---
title: Your mate goes, "Bruv, you can't even hear the s, so why bother writ… — Plurals: les, des and silent s · tree and pragmatics
description: Your mate goes, "Bruv, you can't even hear the s, so why bother writing it?" What's the answer? Test 1 · ★ of lesson 26 «Plurals: les, des and silent s» of the French course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; Mova's choice was wrong.
---

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# Test 1 · ★ · Plurals: les, des and silent s

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Your mate goes, "Bruv, you can't even hear the s, so why bother writing it?" What's the answer?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 2 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** mate, you, answer · **What happens:** go, not hear, bother, write, be · **To what, where:** s

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 1 · ★ of lesson 26 «Plurals: les, des and silent s» of the French course of Mova's primary school. The page gives the question's syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause, then the 4 options as the student saw them, each with its tree and pragmatics. Every text is parsed by Mova itself. How the student answered it, with the score of every option and why: [the test at school](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/school-run/french/26-plurals-les-des-and-silent-s/#t1).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Your mate goes, "Bruv, you can't even hear the s, so why bother writing it?"

```conllu
# sent_id = question:french:26-plurals-les-des-and-silent-s:t1:1
# text = Your mate goes, "Bruv, you can't even hear the s, so why bother writing it?"
1	Your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	mate	mate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	goes	go	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
5	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	Bruv	Bruv	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
8	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
9	ca	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	12	advmod	_	_
11	even	even	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
12	hear	hear	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	s	s	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
16	so	so	ADV	RB	_	18	advmod	_	_
17	why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	18	advmod	_	_
18	bother	bother	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	conj	_	_
19	writing	write	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	18	xcomp	_	_
20	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	19	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go** | present | Your mate |  |  |  |  |  | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **not** **hear** *in a quote* | can | you | the s |  |  |  |  | vn see-30.1-1-1 «NP V S»: agent=Experiencer s=Stimulus |
| 3 | **bother** *in a quote* | infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **write** *in a quote* | gerund | you *not said here* | s |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Theme |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* What's the answer?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:french:26-plurals-les-des-and-silent-s:t1:2
# text = What's the answer?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	answer	answer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the answer |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The s is said loudly in posh French

```conllu
# sent_id = question:french:26-plurals-les-des-and-silent-s:t1:o1:1
# text = The s is said loudly in posh French
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	s	s	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	said	say	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	loudly	loudly	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	posh	posh	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	French	French	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present · passive |  | the s |  | posh French |  | loudly *property* | vn pronounce-29.3.1 «NP V NP PP.manner»: subject=Theme in french=Manner |

### Option 2 · ✓ the right answer {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Spelling still needs it, and les tells the ear it's plural

```conllu
# sent_id = question:french:26-plurals-les-des-and-silent-s:t1:o2:1
# text = Spelling still needs it, and les tells the ear it's plural
1	Spelling	spelling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	still	still	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	needs	need	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
7	les	le	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
8	tells	tell	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	ear	ear	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
13	plural	plural	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	ccomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **need** | present | Spelling | it |  |  | still |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Pivot it=Theme |
| 2 | **tell** *speech: assert* | present | les | the ear |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent ear=Recipient |
| 3 | **is** | present | Spelling |  |  |  |  | plural *property* | tree rules |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The s is only written on Mondays

```conllu
# sent_id = question:french:26-plurals-les-des-and-silent-s:t1:o3:1
# text = The s is only written on Mondays
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	s	s	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
4	only	only	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	written	write	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	Mondays	Monday	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** | present · passive |  | the s |  |  | monday |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He's right, French people never write it

```conllu
# sent_id = question:french:26-plurals-les-des-and-silent-s:t1:o4:1
# text = He's right, French people never write it
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
5	French	French	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
7	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	8	advmod	_	_
8	write	write	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	parataxis	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | He |  |  |  |  | right *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **write** | present | French people | it |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Theme |

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**Text:** the tests of Mova's primary school, written for Mova (`world/data/school/`), as the course runner gave them to the student. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each text read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

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